Snapshots: Vivid Portraits in 100 Words or Less
by AnneNevilleReviews
Summary: These mini stories were originally written for the livejournal community hp100, which is now sadly defunct. It is now being resurrected on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum. New participants welcome. Ongoing project.
1. Sample HP100 Drabbles

These mini stories were originally written for the livejournal community hp100, which is now sadly defunct. The challenge was to take a prompt and create a vivid, well-characterized scene in 100 words or less. They were written pre-_Deathly Hallows_.

* * *

**Signature**

**Title: **Signature  
**Word Count: **100  
**Characters/Pairings: **Tom Riddle, Moaning Myrtle  
**Author's Notes: **(Challenge: Performance)

Terror is an art, murder a performance.

Tom pondered his first kill for a long time after he opened the Chamber. It was his signature, it should mean something. He'd choose a Mudblood, there was no question about that. But which? Which one would show them what the Heir of Slytherin was capable of?

His breath curled in the dark, cold air. He kept imagining one particular girl – a dumpy, unremarkable kid. That Hufflepuff, Myrtle. The one who didn't fit in.

At first he dismissed the idea. Why kill her? She was meaningless – random even. Then he smiled.

"Why not?"

* * *

**Power**

**Title:** Power  
**Word Count:** 100  
**Characters/Pairings: **Neville Longbottom  
**Author's Notes: **(Challenge: Performance)

There's a certain comfort in failure, if you can bear the humiliation and laugh off the jokes of your classmates. If you can keep yourself from thinking about how you'll never be able to follow in your parents' footsteps.

They were heroes, after all.

Yes, there's a certain comfort in mediocrity. In the sleepless nights after Professor Moody showed them the Cruciatus Curse, Neville had stared up into the darkness, and assured himself he'd never be able to perform a spell like that.

But after Cedric, he understood the difference between cruelty and power. After Cedric, he wanted to excel.

* * *

**Typecast**

**Title:** Typecast  
**Word Count:** 100  
**Characters/Pairings: **Draco Malfoy  
**Author's Notes: **(Challenge: Performance)

Draco Malfoy was used to landing the starring role. He'd played the prince at the Wizard's Pageant every year since he was five. Perhaps it was because he learned his lines with ease. Perhaps it was his clear, strong voice, or his startlingly blond hair and thick-lashed eyes. Perhaps – he didn't like to think about it – it was his father's influence. Whatever the reason, everyone always told him that he'd played his part perfectly.

Then, he met Harry Potter. That's when he discovered that in real life, he'd never be the hero.

He'd have to learn to be the villain.

* * *

**Prototype**

**Title: **Prototype**  
Word Count:** 100**  
Characters/Pairings: **Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix LeStrange**  
Author's Notes: **Answering my own question about Draco.

Aunt Bella looked surprised when he asked her to sit down and pull up her sleeve.

His gray eyes flitted back and forth and his quill twitched between his fingers. He'd always had a steady hand and an eye for detail. It would serve his purpose, even if it wasn't real. When he finished and rolled his own sleeve down, he thought his aunt gave him a look of respect.

The next night, he watched the ink run down his arm like streaks of black blood. _What will it be like_, he wondered, _when I can never wash it away?_

* * *

**Patterns**

**Title: **Patterns**  
Word Count: **98**  
Characters/Pairings: **Neville/Luna

The sound of water drew her to the edge of the lake. In the shadows, a boy was trying to skip stones across the water. One after another, the stones sank, concentric rings spreading outward and splashing against the shore.

A stick cracked underfoot. He turned, his face set somberly. She crouched beside him, muddying her hems.

"Do you ever feel like they're underestimating you?"

"Sometimes," she replied, handing him a flat, round stone.

He nodded, and flicked his wrist. The stone danced across the reflected evening sky, then finally sank, a trail of ripples spreading out in its wake.


	2. Challenge: Unfettered & Hydromancy

**Unfettered / Hydromancy**

**Title: **Stolen Moment

**Challenge Word: **Unfettered

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings:** Draco Malfoy/Luna Lovegood

Luna flinched as a copper basin clanged against the stone floor. She peered through the filthy strands of her once-blonde hair. Malfoy hovered nearby.

"For you," he gestured, turning away as she reached for the soap to wash her skin and hair. When she finished, he leaned over and wrapped a blanket around her. His eyes were bloodshot.

"I—didn't know—how it would be."

"Then join us, Draco."

"I can't." His hand shook as he pulled a key from his pocket and reached for the shackles around her ankles.

"There," he whispered, backing away. "Now I'm the only one in chains."

* * *

**Title: **Doubts and Fears

**Challenge Word: **Unfettered

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Molly Weasley

Having seven children was a joy and a curse. Harry was like another son, and Hermione was dear, too, though she _did_ aggravate Ron.

Yes, Molly loved her children. Even as the war raged, the Weasleys wanted babies. Lots of babies. Babies to balance out the friends they saw slaughtered every day.

Regrets? _Unthinkable._

But sometimes, Molly looked in the mirror. Gone was her figure. Her unlined face. The spark in her eyes. So many years. So many sweaters. After being chained to the hearth, could she return to a battlefield? Could she protect her children, when He came back?

* * *

**Title: **Unconventional

**Challenge Word: **Hydromancy

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Artemisia Gaunt (Next Generation OC)

Artemisia Gaunt saw things in her soup.

Other magical children bounced, or made things explode, or levitated when they were happy. Not her. Her slightly-crossed eyes discovered a castle, a lake, a massive forest, heathered moors, and laughing children—all in a bowl of chicken broth.

Her father called her name, and she saw a letter his hand. "Is it time for me to go to Durmstrang?" she asked in Romanian.

Grandma scowled. "From now on, you'll speak English!"

Artemisia turned to her father. "It's from Hogwarts," he smirked. "There will be no Durmstrang for _you._ The Gaunts are going home."

* * *

**Title:** The Fortune-Tellers

**Challenge Word: **Hydromancy

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Gregory Goyle, Fred and George Weasley

Usually, Greg hated being alone. Today was different. Today, he stood on the dock, gazing over the lake and thinking about his grandmother. Then, the creaking of the buckled old planks made Greg turn in alarm. Two redheads strode towards him.

"Goyle," one smirked.

"Good to see you," continued the other.

"We hear you _love_ divination."

"But we wonder—"

"—Are you any good at hydromancy?"

"Huh?"

"Can you read the future in the water? 'Cause we can."

"What d'you see?" Greg stammered, stepping backwards.

"We see—"

"—You—"

"—Swimming."

The next thing Greg knew, icy water was closing over his head.


	3. Millicent Bulstrode: Winsome

**Title: **Grace

**Challenge Word: **Winsome

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Millicent Bulstrode

* * *

Millicent loved and hated with passion.

She _hated_ her name. Millicent Bulstrode. "_Milli-_cent _Bul_-strode." Whenever she heard it, she imagined a bug or bull—all flailing arms and legs—heaving its heavy form across a barren field.

What Millicent loved was ballet. Every year, she attended _The Nutcracker_, eyes aglow. She never dreamed of dancing herself. Ballerinas were winsome, thin, with long legs and small chests. Unlike her.

But after standing beside Professor Slughorn at the Battle of Hogwarts, Millicent knew she could do _anything._ A month later, she enrolled in a ballet class. She never stopped dancing.

She'd finally attained grace.


	4. Percy W & Penelope C: Pungent

**Title: **Crossing Lines

**Challenge Word: **Pungent

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Percy Weasley & Penelope Clearwater

* * *

"This was a mistake," she said, rolling out of bed.

"Hush now. It wasn't a mistake."

"Yes it _was_. You have a wife." She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, where tears started to spill. She smelled the lingering scent of perfume, aftershave, and sweat. "You have a wife," she choked out, "and a _baby_ on the way."

He watched her wrap the sheet around herself. "Audrey isn't enough—"

"I wasn't enough, either, Percy. Nothing—no one—is ever _enough_, are they?"

He was silent, reaching for his glasses.

Penelope swallowed hard. "Leave now. _This_ will never happen again."


	5. Cedric D & Cho C: Damask

**Title: **Final Embrace

**Challenge Word:** Damask

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Cedric Diggory/Cho Chang

* * *

_Damask_.

It was the only word that described her lips. Firm, yet soft. Plump, yet yielding. Pulling back, Cedric noticed Cho's reddened eyes.

"You're not ready?" He wiped the tear on her cheek away.

"I'm afraid," she whispered, pupils dilated.

"Of me?"

"_For_ you. Tomorrow. You could be—"

"Shhhh." He kissed her collarbone. "Think of us tonight."

Eyes closed, Cho envisioned Cedric. Generous. Smart. Strong. Quiet, like the eye of a storm. Too brave for his own good. So brave she feared she'd lose him forever.

"Tonight, Cedric. I'm ready—tonight."

His mouth quirked with glee. "Tonight a boy. Tomorrow—a Champion."


	6. Draco Malfoy: Irony

**Title: **Precious Hours

**Challenge Word:** Irony

**Word Count:** 100

**Characters/Pairings: **Draco Malfoy

* * *

Draco punched the wall.

All he needed were a _few hours _to make everything right. He'd go _back_, back to before Dumbledore tumbled into the darkness. He'd save his family—and his soul.

Just three or four hours—that's all. He'd go back to the moment he let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. He'd change history.

He'd punch himself in the face. Repeatedly.

But, no, Draco _couldn't_ go back. There were no Time-Turners left. Dad had destroyed them all.

Knuckles bleeding, Draco leaned against the cold stone. With a bitter laugh, he wondered, "Where's our salvation now, Father? Where is it now?"


	7. Stan Shunpike: Layman

**Title:** The Consequences of Words

**Challenge Word:** Layman

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Stan Shunpike

* * *

"Stan Shunpike, that barmpot!"

The insults still stung: "Billy no-mates," "gormless," "cock-up duffer," "dozy." That one captured both his stupidity and his tendency to sleep through class. Of course, he'd been expelled.

After a decade of smiling and hiding behind his conductor's cap, Stan was sick of being a layman—a nobody. Then, the Death Eater came and whispered "_Imperio__!_"

_Why me? _he wondered as he felt himself floating. Then, Stan sensed something else: _raw power. _Power he'd never possessed—but always wanted.

"Poor, harmless Stan—duped again!" they'd say.

_No__—_he laughed softly_—__poor them. I'm no joke. Not anymore._

The Death Eater shivered.


	8. Sally-Anne Perks & Draco Malfoy: Enigma

**Title: **The Perks of Being a Wall-Flower

**Challenge Word: **Enigma

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Sally-Anne Perks, Draco Malfoy

* * *

Lord. Not him. Again.

'Mudblood,' he ranted. 'Purification.' 'Blood-traitor.'

_Yada yada yada_. Sally-Anne slammed her book shut, but nobody looked over.

They should've. She _was_ the first Muggle-born in Slytherin. She had ears. Moreover, nonverbal spells were her _forte_. One flick of her wand, and she'd bound the wanker to his chair.

"Potter! I know you're here!" Malfoy squeaked as he tipped over.

_No_, I _am._ _I've heard your secrets and I'm . . . biding my time._

As the prat whimpered for Goyle, Sally-Anne wiped her dusty spectacles. She could've—should've—done worse.

_Anonymous vengeance. A perk of being a wallflower_.


	9. Hermione G & Ron W: Lord of Misrule

**Title: **Lord of Misrule

**Challenge Word: **Lord of Misrule

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Hermione Granger & Ron Weasley

* * *

"_Hermione_!"

Ron slid away as his wife approached him with a Muggle measuring tape.

"But I'm sure you're mistaken. It's _definitely_ not ten inches."

"Is too. Every wizard measures his wand."

"You've never been good with numbers. Would you rather I call Ollivander?" Hermione raised an eyebrow and crept closer. The tape whirred as she pulled it from its casing.

"_Merlin_, that's _cold_!" he shrieked.

"Five-and-three-quarters. About average."

"You sure know how to ruin a honeymoon," Ron grumbled.

A beat passed before he sat up.

"Wait. How do_ you _know what's average?"

"I do love my research." She smiled cryptically.


	10. Rowena R & Salazar S: Touché

**Title: **The Poison of His Lips

**Challenge Word: **touché

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Rowena Ravenclaw & Salazar Slytherin

* * *

"No magic," Rowena growled. She struck. _Clang!_

"How couldst you, fiend? You turned our daughter against me! The diadem—lost!_"_

Salazar parried again, backing into a cold buttress.

"Thou _knew'st_ Helena's ambition. She should have been in my House—"

"I'm 'you' to thee!" Rowena spat, closing in. "Helena was an honest girl until I told her about . . . us."

"'Twas lust—for knowledge."

"'Twas the poison of your lips."

One thrust of her sword pierced Salazar's shoulder.

"Thou—thou—hast _stabbed_ me—in th'heart."

"'Tis no worse than you didst to me, _my love_. 'Twill mend."

_But I will not. _Tossing her sword aside, Rowena strode away.


	11. Binns - Troubadour

**Title: **Songs of the Past

**Challenge Word: **troubadour

**Word Count: **100

**Characters/Pairings: **Binns

* * *

When he was a boy, history was music. Epics. Battles. Larger-than-life heroes. Each night, Bartholomew Binns perched on his father's knee, fire burning in the center of the Hall, while a traveling bard serenaded his audience. Every tale, every song entranced Binns like a spell.

At Hogwarts, he shared those songs. He chanted about wars—trolls—goblins—giants. Back then, the children were enraptured, longing to emulate the wizards of _those_ times. Back then, he was essential.

He rose from his grave—a troubadour of the past. Nowadays, his students slumbered. Yet someday, one might hear his music. One would be enough.

_Just one_.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This drabble is slightly inspired by Betty Buckley's heartbreaking rendition of William Finn's song "Only One" from _Elegies._


	12. Bellatrix Lestrange: Mirror

**Title: **Poisoned Glass

**Challenge Word:** Mirror

**Word Count**: 100

**Characters/Pairings: **Bellatrix Lestrange

* * *

This mirror—this beautiful mirror—has been ours since 1657. An alchemist made it from mercury and silver, dying from its fumes. That's why it's precious to me.

My mirror cannot lie, you see. I always watch it as I brush my hair. _These_ are my eyes, lips, skin, breasts. All perfect, just like me.

Then, that artist unveiled my portrait, and it revealed an ugly, twisted stranger.

_Avada Kedavra!_—One traitor gone. My very first kill accomplished.

Afterwards, I peeled the backing from this mirror and tasted the mercury. I was not afraid. After all, I already had poison on my lips.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: I seem to be in love with the phrase "poison on his/her/my lips." Twice in different drabbles. Oh well, I like it better here.


	13. Minerva McGonagall: Welt & Brash

**Title: **The Switch

**Challenge Word:** Welt & Brash

**Word Count**: 100

**Characters/Pairings: **Minerva McGonagall

* * *

It was a Muggle punishment, which made it even worse. Afterwards, she'd stare at the welts on her hand—the places where the switch had come down—and hear his voice in her head.

Our little Minerva—always such a disappointment. Never quite good enough. Just a little too brash for her own good. Foolish Minerva, crossing the line again.

"Go get a stick. No, not that small. Let's be reasonable."

Then came the _other_ pain. One. Two. Three. Four. And more. And more.

"Think about what you've done, girl."

So she did. Every day.

_I'll do better, Father. I'll be _perfect_—someday._


	14. Pansy P: Compartmentalize, Light, Lake

******Title: **Blinkers

******Challenge Word(s):** Compartmentalize, Light, Lake

******Word Count:** 100

******Characters/Pairings****: **Pansy Parkinson

When things got dark, Pansy retreated to the battlements and watched the lake. Black, tar-stained, and ominous as it was, light still glanced off the waters. If the sun was at the right angle, its beams burned her eyes—impressing them with yellow spots.

Her world turned golden.

That's why she went: To blind herself. Blinker herself.

After all, the world around her was wrong—_so wrong_. She was just a girl. She shouldn't witness all this. Not the Carrows. Not their actions. And certainly not what her parents did while cloaked . . . while masked.

_No. _

Better be blind. _Pretend_ not to see.


End file.
